Water column



Jan.'28, 1930. w. J. HILL WATER COLUMN Filed July 3, 1926 Patented Jan. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLARD J. ITILL, OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA WATER Application filed July 3,

The invention relates to improvements in water columns and especially to a water column particularly designed for locomotive or other steam boilers, and an object of the in- .5 vention is to provide a water column which can be readily attached to the rear head of the boiler and in a manner such that a steam and water tight joint is effected, and further, so that the column can be readily dismounted from the boiler for cleaning, inspection or repair purposes.

A further object of the invention is to construct the column so that its temperature will be practically boiler temperature thereby as- 1s suring the accuracy of the water level read- TVith the above more important objects in view the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts herein after more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side View of a column attached to the boiler.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed vertical sectional view centrally through the column, the section being taken in the plan denoted by the line 2--2 Figure 4.

Fig. 3 is a face View of the column detached from the boiler.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed plan view of the column.

In the drawing, like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

In United States Patent No. 1,546,660 is sued the 21st day of July, 1925, a water column is shown which was welded to the rear head of the boiler, with the result that it could not readily be removed which was sometimes desirable. The present invention relates to a column of the same type which is designed so that it can be detached from a boiler readily.

Referring to the drawing, the boiler presents a customary rear head 1, wrapper or roof sheet 2 and the crown sheet 3, these parts being of ordinary construction and not herein detailed. The boiler head carries the water column 4.

COLUMN 1926; Serial No. 120,392.

This column is preferably of cast steel and it presents an interior vertical passage 5 of constant cross section and its exterior is hexagonal thereby providing exterior angularlydisposed vertical faces 6. The upper and lower ends of the column are interiorally screw threaded as indicated at 7 and 8, the, threads being adapted to receive upper and lower taper plugs 9 and 10, the plug 9 being connected by a coupling nut 11 to the top boilerpipe 12 whilst a drain pipe 13 is at tached to the plug 10. It will be here observed that the drain pipe extends downwardly parallel to the head 1' and accordingly the threads in the lower end of the column are made so that the lower plug can take the inclined position as shown best in Figure 2.

The column is provided in one of the angularly positioned side faces 6 with screw threaded openings 14, 15 and 16 adapted to receive the customary tricocks (not herein shown). Another of the angularly positioned faces is provided with upper and lower screw threaded openi1igs17 and 18 to receive the gage glass mountings (not hereinshown).

At the side next the boiler head 1 the col umn is provided with a vertically disposed web 19 which connects the columnto a base plate20, the base plate-being i-nclined at the same angle as the face of the boiler head, and being deflected laterally in the manner'best shown in Figures 3 and 4. Outstanding lugs 21 and 22areformed at the lower end of the base plate, these being provided with suitable holes 23 and 24. The upper projecting corner of the base plate is provided with a further hole 25 and more or less centrally of its length, the base plate is supplied with another hole 26 underlying the column and to the side of the web.

The inner face of the base plate is machined to fit the rear face of the boiler head andsimilar studs 27 are screwed into the head and positioned soas to enter the holes 23, 24, 25' and 26 when the plate is applied against the head with the column extending vertically. The rear face of the column is provided adjacent the lower end with a clean out hole 28, which is closed-by a taper plug 29 having an exterior square head 80.

After the column has been placed on the boiler with the studs in the openings of the base plate, it is permanently fastened by ap-' plying mlts 31 on the projecting ends of the studs and effectively tightening the same up.

This being accomplished one removes the plug 30 and then drills a hole 32 through the lower end of the column and base plate and through the boiler head, and then taps the hole to provide a tapering thread 33, the drilling and tapping being done from the rear through the hole 28 with which the hole 32 is axially aligned. The outer end of the hole 32 is somewhat smaller in diameter than the inner end of the hole 28. A lower boiler connection 34 in the form of a tube or pipe havin the outer end provided with tapering threa s 35 complementary to those of 33 is then passed through the hole 28 and screw threaded into the hole 32, and takes a final position as best shown in Figure 2. The outer end of the boiler connection is supplied with a square socket 36, so that the same can be tightly screwed into place by the application of a square headed wrench entered in the socket.

When this water column is in place there will be no leakage at the lower boiler connection and the general design of the whole device is so that the parts can be removed from the boiler head for inspection or repair purses.

If it is desired to clean the lower boiler connection 34, this can be done by utilizing a socket wrench to remove the plug 29, which gives direct access to the lower connection 34.

What i claim as my invention is 1. The combination with the inclined rear head of a boiler, of an inclined base plate detachably fastened directly to the boiler head, a verticallyl disposed metallic water column opposing t e plate, an intervening web integrally connecting the plate to the column and a lower water pipe screw threading through the column, base plate and head and connecting the lower end of the column with the interior of the boiler.

2. The combination with the inclined rear head of a boiler, of an inclined base plate havin the face thereof next the boiler head smooth faced and engaging the head, means detachably connecting the plate to the head and holding the plate tightly in contact with the head, a vertically disposed water column opposing the plate and having the lower end thereof merging into the lower end of the plate, a V shaped web interposed between the column and the plate and integrally formed therewith and a lower water pipe screw threading through the lower end of the column the plate and the head and connecting the lower end of the column with the interior of the boiler.

3. The combination with the inclined rear head of a boiler, of a base plate engaging the rear face of the head, studs carried by the head and passing through the base plate, fastening nuts carried by the studs and holding the base plate tightly in contact with the head, a vertically disposed water column having the lower end thereof merging into the lower end of the base plate, a reinforcing web interposed between the column and the base plate and integrally formed therewith, a lower Water pipe screw threading through the lower end of the column, the plate and the head and forming a water connection between the column and the interior of the boiler and a removable clean out plug carried by the column and opposing the water pipe, said removable plug permitting of the insertion of the water pipe.

Signed at Winnipeg, this 7th day of June, 1926.

WILLARD J. HILL. 

